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What got you started in your creative hobby/career?
Despite having a degree in textile design, I never managed to create a proper design career after college: I felt completely unprepared for the world of work (as did many of my contemporaries) and of course, having a baby straight after college didn't exactly help! Yet somehow, my creative urges kept coming through in sporadic ways, urging me back to the sketchbooks and fabrics. When I discovered the whole crafting community, (blogs, Etsy and Flickr) I became far more focused, finding a channel for my creative utterings!
What inspires you to create?
Everything and anything! It can be a phrase I've overheard, a colour combination spotted out of the corner of my eye, a piece of fabric or a piece of mass-marketed tat that makes me think, 'I could do that sooo much better!'
How would you describe the creative process you go through when you create a piece?
Sometimes its methodical: an idea, preliminary sketches, working through a variety of methods and coming up with a finished product. But a lot of the time its completely spontaneous, grabbing bits and throwing them together. Nothing else gets done in the house till its complete: sleep can wait. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow!
What's your favourite thing ever made?
Oh, its all good! I only make things I really like, else it gets cut up and used for something else. I do love the things I've made recently: the colourful patchwork and daft words- very me!
Can we see a photo of your crafting 'space'?
Of course!
As you can see, its my kitchen. I live in a teeny house with 2 ever-growing kids and 1 full-size husband, so I have to commandeer the table into crafting service. Once a piece has been made, its wrapped up and put away upstairs so that it doesn't smell of my dinner! One day, I will have my own workspace...
What challenges have you faced being in an artistic field?
I am an A1 procrastinator, so keeping the momentum going is very tricky. Balancing Mum-stuff, school-stuff (I'm a governor at my son's primary school) and the creative life is a constant challenge, and one I still haven't worked out. It's also taken me a long, long time to find my own style, and to feel proud of it, without comparing myself unfavourably to others.
Where can we find your stuff to buy?
on Etsy: www.yumptatious.co.uk
on Folksy: www.folksy.com/shops/yumptatious
3 comments:
Ah, it's so nice to know that I am not alone! Your kitchen looks astoundingly like my study!
very nice interview :)
gorgeous work, and I like as stated above that I don't feel alone in the lack of space that I also have to create within! ;0
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